Exercising apparatus



Apr. 24, 1923. 1,453,035

w. WILLIAMS EXERCISING' APPARATUS Filed March 17, 1921 5 FIGURE 4- 3% I ii 5/ 5 7 III! 3 7 FIGURE 5 w INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 24, 1923.

umre era WINFIELD WILLIAMS, OF $AN' JOSE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO 3'. F. PATTERSON AND I-IORTENSE BEAN, A COPARTNERSHIP OPERATING AS PATTERSON-WILLIAMS MFG.

00., OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

EXERCISING APPARATUS.

Application filed March 17, 1921. Serial No. 453,115.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, NINFIELD W'ILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of San Jose, in thecounty of Santa Clara 5 and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Exercising Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that type of exercising apparatus wherein depending swinging rings are so arranged as to permit the operator to so manipulate one ring when hanging therefrom, as to swing himself into position to grasp the next succeeding ring and so on.

It is the object of my invention to provide a device of the nature indicated which presents no structural limitation to the travel of the operator, and which provides certain problems of skill and endurance hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a plan view ofmy improved exercising device. 7

Figure 2 is a sectional view on 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on line of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevation at 44;

of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a plan view of Figure 4E.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on 6-6 of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 indicates a central supporting member, in the present case shown as rigidly fixed in a vertical position by imbedding its lower end in the. ground. At .2 is an octagonal member built up of bars 3 overlapped as at 4C and secured together by the ends of rods 5 and 6 and by the nuts 7 thereon. Rods 5 lie in a horizontal plane and their inner ends are secured in a cap 8 on support 1 by means of nuts 9, the said cap bep ing securely held in position on support 1 by means of set screws 10. Rods 6 are secured in a collar 11 formed exactly like cap 8 except that the support 1 passes therethrough, the said collar being placed a dis tance below cap 8 so that the rods 6 assume such a length as to contact with support 1 as shown in Figure 6. To the outer ends of each pair of rods 5 and 6, and held in place by the outer nuts 7, is a twisted olevis 13 to which is attached a chain 14 carrying a body as to change the/direction of his swinging movement so as to enable him to reach the said next succeeding ring. Having now grasped two rings he has some degree of control over the direction of movement lating the rings at this time determines largely the degree of success he will have in reaching the next ring without much effort. In this manner the operator may of the next swing and his skill in manipuwork himself entirely around the circle of 7 rings several times or untilhis strength is exhausted.

" tl f t b h 1 10m 1e oregoin 1 may e seen t at the device herein disclosed has several d1stinct and marked advantagesover the well known straight row of suspended rings. In a straight row of rings 1t isonly an experienced and skillful operator of great endurance that can secure a-start back over the row when he has once reached the end, since he must immediately try to grasp a ring which he has ust released and which is therefore swinging through a wide arc and almost impossible to secure. In the present device each ring has an opportunity to become substantially quiescent before the operator has negotiated the other rings and come back to it. Therefore in the present device an operator may travel around as long as his strength will permit and consequently he can use the device as an endurance test. Furthermore, two or more operators may use this device at one time thereby permitting competition in endurance and rivalry in speed.

A very important factor in this device is that it is very economical to manufacture and occupies but a comparatively small area of ground space. This economy of space is especially important since it renders the device available for use in childrens play grounds where devices of this kind are highly desired but heretofore could not be extensively used. Furthermore the device may be constructed as described thereby eliminating all angular supporting bars and struts which are more or less dangerous on childrens playgrounds, the whole ground surface being clear except for the supporting post itself.

In constructing the device as described the rods themselves, that is the struts 6, play an important part since they function not only as struts but by their engagement with the support 1 they assist the set screws in preventing movement of collarll.

It is to be understood that while I have herein shown and described one particular embodiment of my invention, this disclosure is to be considered as illustrative only as changes in form, construction and proportions may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. An exercising apparatus comprising a fixed support, and an endless series of freely swinging hand-holds fixed directly to the support and arranged for permitting an actor to pass from one hand-hold to another in the same direction indefinitely.

2. An exercising apparatus comprising a stationary support a frame fixedly mounted thereon and spreading outwardly therefrom about the same, and swing members depending from the outer edge portion of the frame and arranged in a continuous series about the support for: swinging toward one another.

3. An exercising apparatus comprising a fixed support, horizontal rods fixed thereto and radiating therefrom, brace rods for the horizontal rods fixed to the support, a substantially U shape clevis having terminal eyes respectively threading over the outer ends of each horizontal rod and its associated brace rod, and swing members suspended from the clevises.

4;. An exercising apparatus comprising a fixed support, horizontal rods fixed thereto and radiating therefrom, brace rods for the horizontal rods fixed to the support, a bracing rim composed of sections overlapping one another at their opposite ends, the outer ends of the horizontal and brace rods piercing the overlapping ends of the rim sections, and depending swing members arranged in a circular series about the support.

5. An exercising apparatus comprising a fixed support, horizontal rods fixed thereto and radiating therefrom, brace rods for the horizontal rods fixedto the support, a bracing rim; composed of sect-ions overlapping one another at their opposite ends, the

outer ends of the horizontal and brace rods piercing the overlapping ends of the rim sections, a clevis secured to the projecting end. of each horizontal rod and its brace rod, and swing members depending from the clevises.

6. An exercising apparatus comprising a fixed support, a cap fixed thereon and provided with an annular upstanding flange, horizontal rods radiating from and secured to the flange, a collar fixed to the support beneath the cap and formed with a peripherally perforated portion, brace rods for the horizontal rods passing through the perforations of the collar and extending against the support to be reinforced thereby and swing members suspended from the horizontal rods.

7. An exercising apparatus comprising a fixed support, a circuitous endless series of depending swing members directly connected thereto, and rings attached to the lower ends of said members.

WINFIELD XVILLIAMS. 

